What I’ve Learned from 50 Blog Posts

Good MORNING everyone!

It’s a great Sunday!  For those of you who don’t know, I am flying to FRANCE later today for three whole weeks, and I am just a tiny bit pumped about it.  *insert all the excited emojis here*  Don’t worry, there will be plenty of posts coming discussing my adventures and all the things I will inevitably learn about myself and the world at large.

Coincidentally, this post is my 50th (FIFTIETH!?) post that I will be putting up since starting this blogging venture in January, which seems crazy to me–this means I’ve written over 50,000 words this year so far! (Perhaps I should just start my book already)  I have absolutely loved this journey, and it has taught me quite a few things already:

Inspiration can come from the most random, seemingly inconsequential places.  There have been times when something major has happened in my life (such as my recent breakup or getting laid off) that has spurred major life contemplation which spawned several blog posts.  Other times, however, something very small happened or the tiniest of thoughts wormed my way into my brain as the result of a minor observation that day, eventually blooming into a full-blown post.

There is no way to predict where my inspiration to write will come from, but I have learned to relax into the knowledge that it WILL come.  There have been times when I feel like I’ve written about everything that I could possibly write about already, and within hours I observe or contemplate something that is completely new or a different way of looking at an old topic.  It’s comforting to know that motivation does not have to be sought after; it will come when it’s needed.

Consistency is imperative.  For the most part in the last 6 months, I have been posting with regularity once in the beginning of the week and once on the weekend.  However, there have been a couple of weeks where I have skipped a post due to circumstances or allowed myself to fall off my regular schedule simply because I didn’t feel like writing something that day.  Whenever I do this, though, I notice a decline in my readership and people becoming less engaged in what I write.

Like everything in life, you have to stick to something with fierce determination if you actually want it to blossom into something worthwhile.  For me, blogging is something that I want to continue to grow, so I absolutely cannot let myself treat it as anything other than vitally important.  It is so easy to let ourselves get into the ‘just this once’ mentality, but that is the thought pattern that kills any and all momentum.

Practice DOES make a difference.  When I first started out, I had to budget an entire Saturday morning or weekday evening to writing a post.  It would take me anywhere from 3-4 hours to write a post, edit it, and post it up on my Facebook page and Instagram.  Now, I can whip out most posts in about an hour, and it takes me about 15 minutes tops to create a picture for Instagram, post it, and link the post to my Facebook page.

We tend to forget when we first start out that it will eventually become easier.  We ALL suck at everything we do the first time we do it.  Most of us use that as an excuse to quit (I’ve been guilty of this quite a few times).  However, once you really start to get the hang of something, it can be a real source of joy and purpose.

Writing is the best way to process emotion.  For me, that is.  Whenever I have an emotionally trying experience, I am able to sit down and have words flow out of me.  When I’m done writing, I usually feel an awesome sense of release and a renewed understanding of how I really feel.  It isn’t healthy to keep your emotions unprocessed, and I have found that this blog has helped me keep moving forward emotionally in a really positive way.

Of course, not everyone has the same level of writing ability.  Some are much more fluid and practiced than I am, while others struggle to compose even the most basic sentence.  Even if you aren’t good at writing, there are so many other ways of communication that are available, from video to drawing to creating music.  Finding the way in which you are able to communicate clearly is unparalleled for personal growth.

Having a passion is invaluable.  Since I started blogging, I have looked at the world in a whole new way that has positively expanded my mind from its previously narrow focus on things only related to teaching.  I have fallen in love with writing and trying to find things of value to communicate, and blogging has opened up many different possibilities and exposed me to so many different things all in the span of 6 months.  There are so many things I wish to accomplish, and starting with this small but fiery fascination is spurring many different areas of growth that I would have never predicted.

Many times people sacrifice their areas of passion because they don’t believe that it will let them get ahead in the world, or that it will take time away from other ‘productive’ areas of their life.  This is the absolute worst thing that you can do.  Don’t ever, EVER give up your passions for anything in the world; they are what give you purpose and joy, and those areas of inspiration and motivation are where you can contribute at your maximum potential.

Overall, blogging has been an invaluable teacher for me thus far, and I am excited to see where it takes me in the future!  I have loved sharing my thoughts with the universe, and when I get a new follower, see a new post like, or have a new comment I feel an awesome little thrill inside each and every time.  This has been an amazing 6 months, and I am beyond excited to see where the next 6 months take me.

If you have been with me since the beginning, THANK YOU for staying around!  If you are a new reader, please give me your thoughts in the comments, and thank you for checking me out. :o)  And as always, please go out and present your optimum selves each and every day to the world.  The world is made infinitely better when we are all living our best lives.

<3, Hannah Elizabeth